The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-26
THE TOMB OF THE LEES.
Description of the Mausoleum Erected
at Lexington, Va.
From the Ne,c Orleans Times Democrat.

dO hSAluSCCui va
From, the Neic orleans Times Democrat
Gen. Robert f. Lee was prostrated by his
final illness on September Is, 1870, and died
on the morning of October II. He was bu-
ried in the library room of the Washington
and Lee University chapel on Oct. Is, this
place being selected by Mrs. Lee after the
university authorities had placed at her dis
posal any part of the grounds for which she
might express preference.
The funeral service was conducted by Rev.
W. Nj. Pendleton, rector of Grace Memorial
Church, of which Gen. Lee was commuui-
can't. On the day of the funeral large
number of ex-Confederate soldiers met and
organized the Lee Memorial Association, y
and decided TO take immediate action in the
erection of a handsomes monument over the
dead chieftain'S remains. His wife was re-
queSted to designate her wishes in the design
of the proposed monument, and, after care
ful consideration, selected q recumbent fig
ure of Gen. Lee, lying asleep on the field of
battle. This work, of pure white marble
stainless and without blemish, typical of
the man it was to honor--was furnished by
Virginia's distinguished sculptor, Il. V. Val
entine, of Richmond, at an expense of 81, 900
1t was received in Lexington about the mid
die of April 1875, and was placed in one Of
the rooms in the college building prepara-
tory to finding proper site for its location.
Some time was consumed in receiving spec
ihcations for a building, none of which
were approved by the association.
In 1877 J. Crawford Nelson, a leading
Baltimore architect, offered design for the
mauseloeum which proposed a rectangular
apse TO be placed in the rear of the chapel
and this was promptly accepted. The chap
ell, used for public and religious exercises of
the university, was modelled from designs
which contemplated the erection of hand
some spire by Gen. Lee. An nsulf1ciency
of funds in the hands of the trustees has not
enabled them to complete this part of the
structure, and it now stands as built in 1852,
surmounted by a eupola. In consequence
OF this incompleteness comments are fire.
quently heard derogatory TO the architectu
raj beauty of the building. As ordinarily
contemplated it designed a large audience
hall on the main floor 50xl25 feet, a library
in the basement 50x50 feet, together with
two Office rooms, one of the latter being oc-
cupied by Gen. Lee until within a few days
of his death. The mausoleum was an addi-
ton to the building on the eastern end, Blk
IS feet, completely fire-proof, conforming
in its exterior to the chapel, and is two
story building, the basement a cryptof solid
masonry tRockbridge county gray lime
stone), the superstrlfcture of brick, and
brick constituting the inside finish save
where Cleveland stone is made to show large
panels of most beautiful tint. This crypt
contains twenty-seyen inches, designed by
the association for such of Gen. Lees rela-
tives and descendants as may express a de-
sire to have their remains deposited there.
In making the bequest the association made
this condition, which was accepted by the
trustees
In one of these inches repose the ashes Of
Gen Lee, the doors of his Office being just
opposite, and when the doors are thrown
open the casket is plainly visible from the
Office itself This office is no less an object
of interest to visitors than the tomb itself,
from the fact that it presents the same ap-
pearance, after the lapse of nearly seven
teen years, lii the position of the books, fur
niture, etc, therein that it did when the
Confederate leader left it for his sick cham
Der, which became his death chamber
The room containing the recumbent fig
ure is on level with the speaking platform
or stage of the chapel. The sta:de is in
plain view Of the audience assembled in the
chapel, this view being cut off at pleasure
by means of massive sliding doors Of iron.
The inausoleum is connected with the chapel
by an antechamber and a large arched
opening heavily curtained leads from the
chapel in to the ante-chamber. The mellow
ngnt, as admitted t!sfCiSn large WINDOW
Of tinted glass Ia the ceiling Immediately
over the statue, adds greatly to the effect,
lending somberness that, far from being
unpleasant, is like the realization of Wads-
worth's fancy of
The light that was never on land or sea.
The figure and couch, which are of statuary
marble. are mounted on a sarcophagus, sim
pie in It's severity of design, which rests on
q granite base course. The sides OF the sar
cophagus are composed OF two marble pan
els each, the space between the panels bear
ing, in basso relieve, on one side the Lee
coat-of arms and on the other the arms Of
Virginia The head and foot consist of one
panel each, the former being ornamented by
a simple cross, the latter bearing the legend;
ROBERT EDWARD LEE.
BORN
January 10, 1907;
DIED
October f. 1870.